Prefabricated patio



May 27, 1958 N. MoNlcK PREFABRICATED PATIO 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 16, 1955 L mm mM m /a M N ATTORNEY May 27, 1958 N. MoNlcK PREFABRICATED PATIO 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1955 NVENTR. V/'cho/cvs Mon/'ck BY W TORNEY United States Patent C "a PREFABRICA'I'ED PATIO Nichoias lvionick, Astoria, N. Y.

Application December lo, 1955, Serial No. 553,634

7 Ciaims. (Cl. 94-4) This invention relates to a patio capable of manufacture as a plurality of like sections connectable to one another to form a complete patio, with each section comprised of a plurality of prefabricated components, the components of each section being adapted for being swiftly and easily assembled with one another.

Ordinarily, a patio or terrace must be formed from various components which are capable of assembly only at relatively lr'gh expense, and usually through the requirement of skilled labor. For example, a patio of the type wherein a plurality of preformed paving or patio blocks are bedded in concrete requires that individual paving blocks be separately positioned, with extreme care being required to insure the proper positioning of said blocks. Further, the mortar or concrete used must be either mixed on the job or alternatively, delivered premixed. The requirement exists for the erection of forms in which the concrete is poured, and the entire patio must be leveled oi skillfully if a patio of attractive appearance is to result.

Obviously, this involves considerable expense, and it is the broad object of the present invention to provide means whereby a highly attractive patio can be laid down, in any desired size, without the requirement of skilled labor, and at a relatively low cost so far as the individual components of the structure are concerned. It is proposed, in fact, to so design the patio that a householder will be able to assemble the prefabricated components thereof swiftly and easily, and without requirement of special skills or special tools.

A further object is to provide a patio as stated which, by reason of its being formed of preabricated components, can be manufactured at a very low cost, considering the overall size of the completed patio or terrace. Since the patio is composed of like, connected sections each of which is in turn assembled from a plurality of prefabricated components, it will be apparent that the several components making up each section can be manufactured by mass production methods, thus lowering the cost of the completed patio considerably.

Another object is to provide a patio as stated which will be so designed as to provide a rigid, strong construction after the patio has been laid down, which construction will be adapted to withstand the elements without deterioration.

Another object is to provide a patio construction as stated which will be designed in such a manner that if it were desired to take the patio up as for example when one is moving to a new location, the patio can be disassembled and moved, and reassembled at the new location. At present, a patio or terrace, after it has been laid, becomes a permanent part of the property, and cannot be removed.

Summarized briefly, the patio constituting the present invention includes a plurality of sections connected along abutting sides thereof. The sections are all identical, and each section includes a base adapted to be embedded in ,j 2,836,108 Patented May 27 1958 the ground. A plurality of blocks is supported by and completely covers the base, each block having a dat body formed with a depending stud extendable through a registering opening of the base to permit the connection of each block to the base. The several blocks are in contact along adjacent sides thereof, and each block has an opstanding projection spaced from the corresponding projection or projections of adjacent blocks, with the projections simulating paving blocks or tiles. A cover plate is then positioned over the assembled blocks, the cover plate having openings registering with and shaped correspondingly to the tile-like projections. The cover plate has depending tongues, extendable through the assembled blocks and through the base, to permit ready alignment of the cover plate with the blocks and base, and also to permit the cover plate to be connected directly to the base despite the presence of the intervening layer of blocks. The cover plate, when laid, has its top surface tlush with the top surfaces of the tile-like projections, thus imparting to the finished construction the appearance of a generally conventional patio. The construction is further Vadapted to permit erection of a railing upon the structure if desired.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the followino descri tion and accom an ing drawin s, C

and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a patio formed in accordance with the present invention, as it appears when completed and embedded in the ground, the ground being shown partially in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View looking down on one of the blocks, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another one of the blocks on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the block shown in Fig. 3, on the same scale as Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of one of the sections of the patio.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference nu meral il) in Figs. l and 2 designates a completed patio formed from a plurality of sections each comprising prefabricated components assembled with one another to complete the section.

In Fig. l four sections are illustrated, providing a rectangular patio with each section being of rectangular outer coniiguration and extending over one-fourth of the area of the patio. Obviously, any number of sections can be employed, and in practice, one would rst establish the size to which the patio is to be constructed, and would thereafter buy components sulicient to permit the assembly of the necessary number of sections for assembling the patio to said predetermined size.

Since the construction of each section is identical, the description of one will suce for all.

Each section includes a base 12, and a plurality ol blocks 14, 16. If desired, all the blacks used may be oi a single type rather than two types as shown. Alter natively, the blocks can be of other shapes so far as the tile-like projections thereof are concerned, and it will be apparent that any of various arrangements of the blocks can be employed.

Overlying the blocks is a cover plate 18, which would be formed of stainless steel, aluminum or other noncorrosive material. If desired, the cover plate may be of some other material, and may be faced in such a many rtionsjcthroughout? -saidperiplery with nopenings Formedf inthe base plate'A at uniformly spaced locations overl the-full areathereof, -aren openings'26, and along f ner'as'toresembie concrete'or'mortar. This, of course, would=be-attheoptionof-thee-particular'manufacturer;

Considering the particular'construction of each of these components of a single section, the base comprises av fiati rectangulanplate '20' formediwitha .dependingilange' 22,'said1flange/extending through the full periphery of thel plate 29 'and ,being formed? at uniformly Vspaeedlocaatleastenejside-oftheebase plate Vthereis formed a'plu- 1 ralityof slot-like apertures 27, disposed in a row paralleling and spaced closely' from the adjacent sidetedge l ofthe:V base plate;

- VThe?blocks `that are to` beY supported Vuponv Vthe ibase plate'Zt in the illustrated example are of two types;V The block- 1.4"includesV a'L flatfrectangular body 25,' formed ofiaipolyester resin with'reinforced glass fiber, or of hard rubber, vor if desired fromsome other mataerial including,

`forexample;concreteor other material of acernentitious nature. f

'fjrlntegrally molded'upon the top face of the body Ztl, and'having'its'ed'ges spaced inwardly from the side edges ofthe `b'ody 28is` alow, flat projection l30 forming a paving tiler Y f Embedded in the-center'portion of thebody, and depending from the body for extension through a'registering opening 2`5-of` the base/plate, is a threaded stud 32.

' The-blo'cksleach'comprise a body identical to body 28 `andintegrally molded'upon the top/face of body 34 are elongated, parallel tiles 36. As previously noted, the particularvouter configuration and number ofthe tile-like projections ofthe several blocks can be varied by the manufacturer, to permit a wideY choiceto belhad bythe purchaser` so` that thepurchaser'may thus assemble a patioof'a particular design found attractive to hlm.

Studs"38-have attened, `circular' heads embedded inthe bodies 34,' and are similar to the" studs 32, the'studs'33 hein'gextended througlt openings 26d-ofthe base plate.

After the several blocks have Vbeen positioned upon the base plate, fwith the baseplate thus being completely covered'and the assembled blocks having thierouter edges sh'with the several4 edges of the' base plate, nuts 40 are threaded onto the downwardly projecting portions ofthe studs; thusto Xedly connect the :several blocks tothe base platea. H

The several blocks' are formed,- at least on' one side edge thereof, with slot-like aperturesY 42, so ythat the blocks" adjacent theouteredges of the'base` plate will havel their Aslot-like apertures 42, 44 in'registration with the'apertures`27 'offthejbase plate;

The cover plate-.hasV been designatedV at #to and is preferably formed of stainless steel or aluminum plate mate- Thej cover plate'has openings45,i S'recei-yingthe projections'il, Sorespectively. VThercover plate is of a thicknessz equivalent to that of they respective projections, Y

srothattlie'topsurt'ace of the'cover-plate will be ush with thejtop'surfaces ofr'saidprojections. I

VWelded to or otherwise Xedly attached to the underside ofthe coverv plate, adjacent itsY several edges, are

depending `tongues 52, and when` the cover plate Ais posin'oned overthe several blocks, with the openings of the cover'platereceiving the projections30, 360i saidV blocks,

the tongues will estenddownwardly through the slot-like Y apertures42 and' 44-` of the blocks, and 27 Vof the-baseY plate; After the tongueshave beenl extended downwardly in this manner', theycan be bent upwardly as shown in dotted' linesin Fig.' 25 Alternatively, they V,maybe left straight as shownin'full lines inthis ligure ofthe drawing,

with the? tonguesV` thus*A serving mainly as an aligning means.,

Ittwill be apparentthat if desired, registering' openingsY canbe formedA in the l'assembled components of the 'respective sections, adaptedtoreceivejthe p osts'of `arailing or the like; nottshown: This is`- believed suflieientlyobvious:

as not to Yreduire- Yspeeial illustration. It would be mainly Y receive fastening elementsextending through`V the registering openings of the several components of each section,V with the railing extending along the edge of the patio.

After the several sections have been individually constructed, the completeds'ection's/*can be "secured'to' one another by bolts 54 passing through registering openings 24 of contacting walls of the sections as shown in lFig. 2. Then, the entirepatio is bedded down in the ground, as shown in Figs. Yl and 2, so as to remain'in place throughout its life; It'will be apparent'that should it be desired to move the patio toa new location, it can be readily disassembled and then reassembled at the `new location.V

The cover plate 18 is provided With additional tongues 51 similar to tongues 52, adapted to pass through apertures 41 and 25 formed in the blocks 16 and base 12, respectively; TheseA prongs can also V'be *bent under thebase I12 as shown in Fig( 2; Y

It is to be'understood that a railing canV also be addedV by'attachingto the mounting holes, if desired.`r

Whilel haveD illustrated and described'th'e preferred:

embodiment ofA my invention, it is Vto beunderst'ood that l do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes land modifications maybe made Within -the scope of the invention as defined in-the'appended claims:

Having thus"described'my'invention, .what I claim asl new,- and desiretoV secure by United States Letters Patent is: Y

l. A patio comprising'arplurality ofrlike sectionseaeh Vincluding ajbase, blocks overlying the' base, said blocks having upstandingportions, a cover plate'. lying on the blocks andhaving apertures receivingfthe upstandingpor tions of the blocks, means for connecting adjacent sections to each-r other, said base of each. section including :a

depending peripheral flange adapted to be Vembeddedin'y theground, said basefurther'including a tlat baseplate on which-said blocks are supported, the" base plate of,

each section havinga plurality of. openings, each block' includingaydependingstud registering withl `one of'said adepending peripheral-harige adaptedtofbe embedded in the ground, said base further includingVV a hat base Y plate on which said blocksaresupported,,the'base plate ot each section havinga plurality offopenings, 'each block including a depending stud registeringwith oneV of said' openings for connecting each blockV to the base'plate independently of the remaining blocks, each of said' blocks including a low, upstanding projection on its top surface simulating apavingtile', -said projections cornprising` the portions of the'blocks received in the aperl tures of the cover-plate, and means for connectingfthe coverY plate tothe base plate. Y c

3. A patio comprising a plurality'ot like sections'each I including-a base, blocksoverlying the base, acover'pla'te lying on-therblocks` andfhaving apertures receivingf por-1 tions of the blocks, meansV for' connecting adjacentsec tions to each other, said base of each sectioninclnding` a depending peripheral ange Vadapted to be'embedded' e in the ground, said base further including a at base" plate-on whichV said blocks'are supported, the basefplate of each section having a plurality of openings, each block".

' inclndinga dependingY stud registering with oneofsaid openingsifor connecting eachrblock to YtheY ba'serplateindependently of therv remaining b1ocks,.each of.: said Y blocks r-'includingi a low, kupstanjdingf projection; ont its .topa

surface simulating a paving tile, said projections cornprising the portions of the blocks received in the apertures of the cover plate, the projections of the several blocks being spaced inwardly from the peripheries of said blocks, and means for connecting the cover plate to the base plate.

4. A patio comprising a plurality of like sections each including a base, blocks overlying the base, a cover plate lying on the blocks and having apertures receiving portions of the blocks, and means for connecting adjacent sections to each other, said base of each section including a depending peripheral tiange adapted to be embedded in the ground, said base further including a fiat base plate on which said blocks are supported, the base plate of each section having a plurality of openings, each block including a depending stud registering with one of said openings for connecting each block to the base plate independently of the remaining blocks, each of said blocks including a low, upstanding projection on its top surface simulating a paving tile, said projections comprising the portions of the blocks received in the apertures of the cover plate, the projections of the several blocks being spaced inwardly from the peripheries of said blocks,- the cover plate having a top surface flush with the top surfaces of said projections, and means for connecting the cover plate to the base plate.

5. A patio comprising a plurality of like sections each including a base, blocks overlying the base, a cover plate lying on the blocks and having apertures receiving portions of the blocks, and means for connecting adjacent sections to each other, said base of each section including a depending peripheral flange adapted to be embedded in the ground, said base further including a flat base plate on which said blocks are supported, the base plate of each section having a plurality of openings, each block including a depending stud registering with one of said openings for connecting each block to the base plate independently of the remaining blocks, each of said blocks including a low, upstanding projection on its top surface simulating a paving tile, said projections comprising the portions of the blocks received in the apertures of the cover plate, the projections of the several blocks being spaced inwardly from the peripheries of said blocks, the cover plate having a top surface ush With the top surfaces of said projections, the cover plate having depending tongues extending through registered apertures in the blocks and base plate.

6. A patio comprising a plurality of like sections each including a base, blocks overlying the base, a cover plate lying on the blocks and having apertures receiving portions of the blocks, and means for connecting adjacent sections to each other, said base of each section including a depending peripheral ange adapted to be embedded in the ground, said base further including a at base plate on which said blocks are supported, the base plate of each section having a plurality of openings, each block including a depending stud registering with one of said openings for connecting each block to the base plate independently of the remaining blocks, each of said blocks including a low, upstanding projection on its top surface simulating a paving tile, said projections comprising the portions of the blocks received in the apertures of the cover plate, the projections of the several blocks being spaced inwardly from the peripheries of said blocks, the cover plate having a top surface flush with the top sur faces of said projections, the cover plate having depend ing tongues extending through registered apertures in the blocks and base plate, said tongues being spaced about the periphery of each cover plate.

7. A patio comprising a plurality of like sections each including a base, blocks overlying the base, a cover plate lying on the blocks and having apertures receiving portions of the blocks, and means for connecting adjacent sections to each other, said base of each section including a depending peripheral ange adapted to be embedded in the ground, said base further including a at base plate on which saidrblocks are supported, the base plate of each section having a plurality of openings, each block including a depending stud registering with one of said openings for connecting each block to the base plate independently ofthe remaining blocks, each of said blocks including a low, upstanding projection on its top surface l simulating a paving tile, said projections comprising the portions of the blocks received inthe apertures of the cover plate, the projections of the several blocks being spaced inwardly from the peripheries of said blocks, the cover plate having a top surface flush with the top surfaces of said projections, the cover plate having depending tongues extending through registered apertures in the blocks and base plate, said tongues being spaced about the periphery of each cover plate, and being of bendable material so as to be bendable upwardly against the underside of the base plate.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 668,757 Schlegel Feb. 26, 1901 1,629,433 Bonner et al May 17, 1927 1,774,736 Tomec Sept. 2, 1930 1,982,724 Benevento Dec. 4, 1934 2,108,226 Johnston Dec. 15, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 62,512 France Jan. 26, 1955 (Addition, Principal French Patent 

